We want your opinion, what should we wear this fall?

What are the hottest trends for fall? A fashion writer asked us that question and while thinking about the answer, I wondered, what do the magazines say the hottest trends this fall are, and what are people really wearing? So I though I would ask you, the people who are actually buying and wearing these trends, what do you think this falls hottest looks are? Please post comments and photos.

These are the wearable trends we came up with...
1. Red accents- nothing breaks up the mundane like red. Add red pumps or a red bag to any outfit for a splash of color and trendiness.
2. Belts- this new "it" accessory this fall is a fabulous belt. Back-in-style.com has a variety of unique and interest belts. Wear a wide one cinched around you want with your tunic and leggings for a flattering fitted silhouette. Since Mod is back, any patent leather belt will look great. Reptile skin adds great texture to any outfit, and metallic leathers add a little shine and sparkle without being to girly.
3. Pumps- the 80s pump is the sex symbol for fall. Make sure you wear them either with skirts/dresses or skinny jeans. They will disappear under wide legs.
4. Gold chains- In any length of size, gold is in. Go 80s style with chunky bold necklaces. Or 20s with long layered necklaces. Which ever you choose, make sure it is gold
5. Boots- this one is a no brainer, it is fall, or course boots are in! Back-in-style.com has some very affordable unique styles in equestrian, cowboy or polished cosmopolitan.
6. Bright Leather Bags- whether large or small, bright colored leather is the material of choice for fall. Big slouchy bags allow you to put in an extra sweater just in case, but cute structured purses look polished and put together. It is your choice.
7. Hints of metallic, metals and hardware. Just a little bit goes a long way here. Grab one piece that is metallic or has metal details. A gold belt, or a handbag with bold hardware, or shoes with studs and buckles.
8. Vintage belt buckles- there is no better way to add uniqueness and interest to your outfit than a vintage belt buckle (especially since belts are so popular now). It is also an easy way to accessorize jean and a t-shirt. Just add a great belt buckle and suddenly your run of the mill outfit is transformed to something cute and trendy.
9. Crystal necklaces- Put away your pearls and put on the crystals. Crystals are the new pearls, especially when it comes to necklaces. Still girly and proper, but way more fun!
10. Snake skin- exotic and fun, this will spice up any outfit. Feel free to mix textured. Snake skin toughens up a girls chiffon blouse, and works well with graphic prints. Wear a metallic snake belt, or a red snake skin bag, and combine two trends in one.
PS- If you like any of the items you see in the photo, they are available at www.back-in-style.com

Jersey Girl- Summer's Hottest Trend

It is hot and sticky outside. You hardly feel like getting dresses, let alone looking cute, what do you wear? Throw on a jersey dress. Stretchy and light, you won't loom like a wilted flower, even if you feel like one. Jersey dresses are this summer's essential wardrobe piece. Here's why...

1. Versatility! A little black jersey dress can serve as a cocktail dress if you add great jewelry, and a small clutch, or you can wear the same dress as a cover up for the beach with flat sandals and a large tote. Going out to lunch, swap your flip flops for some embellished flats and a structured frame bag and you will look polished, but casual.

2. Low maintenance! Jersey dresses are great for traveling. Just crumple it up and throw it in your bag. When you arrive, just pull it out. Worst case scenario, hang it in the bathroom as you shower and let the wrinkles fall out, but you won’t need to iron it.

3. Add a belt! There are a million options to make your jersey dress look like a completely different outfit. Swap the belt, or even if the dress does not have a belt, add one. A chiffon scarf makes a beautiful feminine summery statement. Or use a man's tie as a belt for a more creative look. How about a wide leather belt high on your waist for a great silhouette. Even a piece of robe or braided corde. Tie a cute little knot on each end, wrap around the waist and tie with another knot. This will look very nautical so it works best with navy blue, white or red. For evening add a metallic belt, or a metal belt. The possibilities are endless…

How to look cute and stay cool in the summer heat!

So it is over 90 degrees outside and you think, what is the point in getting dressed if in 30 seconds I am going to look like a wilted flower. Here are a few pointers to help you look your best even when the temperatures sky rocket.
Embrace your inner bohemian!
The bohemian trend makes it easy to to fashionable and stay cool. Choose gauzy light weight fabrics that either won't show wrinkles or are supposed to be wrinkled, and flowy shapes that aren't constricting and allow the breeze to blow through. Loose fitting natural fibers will allow ventilation, keeping you looking fresh all day long.
Embellish with holes~ Eyelet, Crochet, and Lace
Very feminine and pretty, yet also functional, it allows your skin to brethe. It is especially great in areas where sweat tends to show, and in the most structured areas of your attire; ie: the bustline and waistline. It works two-fold, allowing you to cool off and at the same time, distracting the viewers eye.
Layer
I know, it is seem counter intuitive to wear more clothes instead of less, but trust us on this one. Wear a tighter cotton layer close to your body, and then a loose sheer layer over. The loose layer on top will stay fresh, and conceal the wilting heat effect of the under layer. Just make sure your top layer is either sheer or cut right so you don't look frumpy.
Wear a slip dress
Light, airy, and feminine with lots of lace accents, this is the perfect choice for summer. They make great cover ups for the beach or pool also! Feeling self conscious? Layer a few different ones on top of each other. Or, if you are feeling up to celebrity status, pair your slip dress with cowboy boots as seen on Jessica Simpson, Paris Hilton, Scarlet Johannson, and Tara Reid.
Carry a handbag!
Instead of tucking a purse under your arm, or over your shoulder, carry a handbag. Tucking a bag under your arm, and against your body will make you hotter. Instead, grab a purse you can carry in your hands, away from your body, it will keep you and your bag looking fresh.

How to top it off- picking the best shirt for your body type!

Now that we have given you so many tops to choose from on sale, let's help you figure out how to pick one that is the most flattering for you.

Big bust- halter styles with a moderate neckline (not too high, not too low) are great. They provide support and also look very sexy. Stay away from strapless (no support), or anything with a too wide V (you might fall out!). And please make sure your top is fitted. There is nothing more unflattering on a full busted woman than a big baggy shirt!

Small bust- stay away from tube tops which can make you look very flat. V neck lines and flattering and plunging necklines also draw the eyes attention down and away from your chest. Tops with built in bras will just squish what little you do have, so avoid those as well. Instead choose a shirt you can wear a padded bra under if you choose.

Wide shoulders- stay away from racer back or t backs (the athletic styles) which will accentuate your shoulders and back. Halters are a nice alternative, just make sure the neckline isn’t too high. That will also make your shoulders look broader. If you wear a shirt with sleeves, make sure they fall past your shoulder. Capped sleeves will make you look like a foot ball player. Stay away from square necklines, and choose scoop instead. This will create the illusion of a narrower upper body.

Narrow shoulders- just the opposite. Choose capped sleeved tops, and square necklines. Athletic styles will also make you appear broader. Make sure you wear tops that are fitted in the waist, the smallest part of your upper body, making your shoulders look wider.

Small waist- pick a top that draw your attention to your waist with a waist detail like a belt, bow, or some other form of embellishment. Cinch a baggy top with a belt. A shirt that hits right at your waist with a high waisted skirt will make you look even smaller and give you a 1940s silhouette.

Wide waist- all those super cute empire waist tops are for you. Choose a top that is fitted in the bust and loose around your core. Make sure it hits just at your hips and over the top of your jeans, and only wear it with pants or shorts, no skirts (too much bagginess). Stay away from anything that draws attention to your waist like a belt. A top with a wide gathered elastic waistband can work as long as it is baggy on top, making it look like your waist is smaller than it really it.

Big hips- stay away from empire waists. This will make you look like a tent. To keep your figure, choose a top that is fitted in the waist, or has some structure. Pick tops that fall just above the widest part of your hips or higher. This will make your hips look smaller. Square necklines accentuate your shoulders and help balance your silhouette, making your hips look smaller.

Small hips- if you want the illusion of curves, make sure your top is shaped and close fitting in the waist, and add a low slung belt. The top will make your waist look smaller and the belt will accentuate your hips, making the end result curvy. Small hips are the only shape that can wear a tunic top well, so embrace it, but this look won’t help you add sexy curves. Make sure your tops end at the widest part of your hips, adding the illusion of curves.

True Blue! The "IT" color for summer

Blue is the hot new color for summer. Jessica Alba, Paris Hilton, Nicolette Sheridan, Sarah Jessica Parker & Beyonce are just a few of the many celebrities seen wearing blue dresses to their special occasions this season. All different shades, and hues have been spotted on the runway and on the streets, and for good reason. Blue looks good on just about any one, any hair color or skin tone, and it looks great with a tan. Blue is the perfect summer color, reminiscent of the ocean, boating, blue skys, and other summer activities.
Pair a blue dress with feminine heels and handbags to make it more girly. Wear your hair loose, flowy, and touchable for a romantic feel. Add white accessories for a preppy nauitical vibe. Mix navy and black for a trendy look. Wear a lighter ocean blue color for a casual vacation feel.
No matter how you choose to wear it, you'll be true blue!

Fashion Alert! How to wear the 80s

Fashion Alert! Like it or not, the 80s are back! Here's how to pull off the look!
Like it or not, the 80s are back. And back with a vengance! Celebrities like Renee Zelwegger, Nicolette Sheridan, and Petra Nemcova are wearing strapless ruched mini dresses, Chloe from Project Runway won the whole series with an 80's inspired runway collection. Puffed sleeves were seen at the Oscars on Charlize Theron, Ziyi Zjhang and Gwyneth Paltrow. Tight black lace dresses have been seen on Eva Mendes, Penelope Cruz, Elisa Benitez, and Gretchen Mol to name a few. The 80s are everywhere!
So you want to be trendy, but you don’t want to look stupid, how do you wear the 80s? The easiest way is to put on a dress! And you have a number of options here.
Strapless mini dresses preferably with some ruching or gathering are very trendy, and easy to wear. Ruching is a great way to hide those problem areas. If you like your top half better than your bottom half this is the way to go. Strapless encourages the eye upwards to the bare skin drawing attention to your bust, collar bone, shoulders, neck and back. Just make sure the top isn’t too tight.
Drop waist dresses with puffy or tiered skirts are very flattering, and forgiving, particularly if you are heavier on bottom. Pair them with very modern shoes, strappy sandals, platforms, or pointy toe pumps for a more contemporary look.
Lace dresses are also an 80s staple gone modern. Stretchy form fitting lace dresses are surprisingly easy to wear. Although they are tight, they are comfortable and easy to move in, and the busy lace hides flaws.
If you are smaller on top, a great way to minimize your bottom is to wear an 80s blazer (big shoulders, puffed sleeves) with narrow pants. Straight leg jeans go with just about any blazer, and add a lace trimmed tank underneath more a feminine touch. This will balance out your top, making your bottom look smaller.
Still not sure you can pull it off, just add an 80s handbag to your look. Large metallic clutch are a great alternative to an evening or day bag. Luckily they are large enough to actually hold what you need to carry, and they fit comfortable under your arm. Want your hands free, try a sling back. Basically any shoulder bag just slung messenger style across you body. Slouchy ones like our Maud Frizon look great, or try the 80s logo purses from Gucci, and others.
No matter which look you choose to go with, you will certainly look fashionable, and not dated!

Designer Spotlight: Lilly Pulitzer

Name: Lilly Pulitzer
Nationality: American, currently lives in West Palm Beach
Known for: preppy bright tropical prints
Interesting fact: Lilly Pulitzer “started with a juice stand in Palm Beach. Lilly, a young, sassy New York socialite had eloped with Peter Pulitzer, grandson of the Joseph Pulitzer and settled in Palm Beach to live the life of the rich and famous. Peter owned several Florida citrus groves, but Lilly needed a project of her own. So in the late 1950's, with Peter's produce, she opened a juice stand on Via Mizner, just off Worth Avenue in Palm Beach.
Lilly Pulitzer's business was a hit, but squeezing oranges, lemons, limes, and pink grapefruit made a mess of her clothes. Realizing that she needed a juice stand uniform, Lilly asked her dressmaker to design a dress that would camouflage the stains. The result? A comfortable sleeveless shift made of bright, colorful printed cotton - pink, green, yellow and orange. The dress even had custom dressmaker details like lining and lace seam bindings. It was perfect for the job and became Lilly's first Classic Shift.
Although her customers liked Lilly's juice, they loved her dress. When people began to ask if they could buy the dress, Lilly had a few more made up to sell in the stand. Soon Lilly was selling more dresses than juice, so she decided to stop squeezing and to focus on designing and selling her "Lillys." Before long, Jackie Kennedy, an old school chum, began wearing Lillys and, as First Lady, was featured in Life Magazine wearing a Classic Shift. Then, of course, everyone wanted one and Lilly Pulitzer® became a fashion sensation. " Taken from the abous Lilly section of www.lillypulitzer.com. Please visit the website for more info.

Top Three Spring Trends

EYELET anything, dresses, tops, trim! Eyelet is feminine and cute, just be sure to pair it with grown up accessories so you don't look like a little girl.

NAUTICAL THEMES This trend is so easy to wear at any age. Navy blue and white is always a crisp combination. To make is more trendy, choose bottoms with sailor buttons, or rope accents.


FRAME BAGS~ you know the ones your grandmother used to carrry~ well now you should be carrying them. Be sure to wear them with contemporary clothes though so you don't look like you are going to a costume party!

Designer Spotlight: Charles Jourdan

Name: Charles Jourdan
Dates: 1883-1976
Nationality: French
Known for: shoes and leather goods
Interesting fact: “The Charles Jourdan boutique was unique. It carried only a very limited range of styles and only one style at a time appeared in the window, which was changed every two days. However, every style was available in every size, three width fittings, and 20 different colors. If a woman needed a shoe in a particular color to match her outfit, she was certain to find it at Jourdan.”
From “A Century of Shoes: Icons of style in the 20th Century” by Angela Pattison & Nigel Cawthorne, pages 40-41

Fashion Alert! Spring Fling 2006!

Fashion Alert! Spring Fling!
Spring is finally here! Put away all those drab winter clothes, but what should you wear? Lucky for most of us, this spring's trends aren't much different from last year's, but if you are anything like me, you still want some new clothes anyway! So what should you buy?
1. Lace, especially in beige, gold, cream, white and nude colors!
2. Chiffon, and layers of it are a spring essential. Chiffon on anything, tops, dresses, skirts. Its always feminine, and intriguing.
3. Ruffles, but this spring, save them for the trimmings. A ruffle on the hem or on the straps is a cute finishing detail. Feminine but not over the top.
4. Skin-tone colors and whites. This spring instead of bright colors, go head to toe in different hues of the same color family. Neutrals are very in style, but be sure you let your skin get a little color before wearing whites, or you'll look a little pastey.
5. Metallics! Especially accessories like necklaces, handbags, and shoes. It is even okay to mix gold, silver and bronze. And don’t be afraid to wear metallic during the day, just make sure you tone down the rest of your outfit.
6. Platform shoes! But be sure to modernize them with very contemporary clothes, and definitely don't wear them with bell bottoms or a mod mini dress.
7. A great white shirt! It will be the most important and versatile wardrobe piece this spring. Wear with navy blue and red for an always classic nautical theme. Or with Lilly Pulitzer or Lacoste for a preppy look. Try it tucked in with a high waisted 80s pencil skirt for an edgy chic look or untucked with jeans and a cinched belt for a very modern look. There are just so many options!

2005 Golden Globe Fashion Review

Golden Globe Fashion Review
Golden Globe Highlights:
Natalie Portman in a vintage Chanel lace strapless tea length dress with sweetheart neckline
Reese Witherspoon in a vintage Chanel white with silver sequined bodice, empire waist, cocktail length dress

There certainly seemed to be a lot of similar dresses on the red carpet at this year’s Golden Globe awards~
Top three necklines:
Plunging V: Hilary Swank, Marcia Cross, Evangeline Lilly, Maria Bello, Mariah Carey
Asymmetrical: Charlize Theron, Renee Zellweger, Lara Linney, and Anne Hathaway
Strapless: Keira Knightley, Michelle Williams, Maggie Grace, Emile de Favin, Natalie Portman
Top three colors: Black, Black, and Black! Everyone seemed to be wearing black! Charlize Theron, Hilary Swank, Jessica Alba, Sarah Jessica Parker, Natalie Portman, Cynthia Watros, Debi Mazar, and Renee Zellweger to name a few.
Honorable mention-White: Kate Beckinsale, Maria Bello, Reese Witherspoon, Keira Knightley, Fergie, Emma Thompson, Felicity Huffman, Yunjin Kim, Sandra Oh, Gwyneth Paltrow,
The only area where there seemed to be a lot of variety was in the skirts:
Cocktail lengths were seen on Fergie, Charlize Theron, Natalie Portman and Anne Hathaway, while Hilary Swank, Jessica Alba, Evangeline Lilly, Marcia Cross Kyra Sedgwick, and Michelle Williams, all wore full length drapey skirts. Also popular were mermaid skirts as seen in Kate Beckinsale, Teri Hatcher, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Emma Thompson,